Author's note: I just wanted to say thanks to those of you who are leaving me feedback. It's very appreciated! As always, I don't own Loki (damn!) or Thor or any of these folks. They belong to Marvel (and the Norse).
Know Your Place, part twelve: The Quest
Loki stood still, staring at the woman who had ruined everything. He did not know her name, but he recognized her. Oh, yes, he remembered her, the woman who had somehow taught his brother compassion, the one who had been responsible for Thor winning back Mjolnir and his powers, the woman who had brought his careful plans crashing down around his head, fractured as completely as the Bifrost itself.
She did not see him, as she was busy looking at some sort of chart with the man Loki had spoken to before, the older one who had told him where to find the restaurant. The tables of the glass-walled room were full of machines and papers and books, stored in no discernable order. Who was she, and what did she do? How had she captured his brother's attention, other than by her pretty looks? It had to be more than just her appearance, after all—Thor had pretty girls flinging themselves at him constantly, but for this one he had destroyed the Bifrost and isolated Asgard from the nine realms, all but crippling their father's kingdom until the bridge was somehow repaired.
What makes her so special? How can it be? he fumed silently, his green eyes cold as the dark Asgardian sea. Suddenly he remembered his suggestion to his brother that he would visit the girl and discover just that—words flung without any intention other than to goad Thor into a fight. But now that he saw her he burned to know, to understand.
"Can I help you?" a mild voice asked.
Loki blinked and turned to see the plain face of Agent Coulson looking up at him as if he was a faintly interesting distraction; another black-suited agent, tall and almost as big as Thor, stood behind in a guard's stance, eyeing him with open suspicion. He remembered, so suddenly that he wondered why he had not remembered before, that the shorter man was in charge of the entire SHIELD base, not just the small group of men he had seen around the purloined vehicle. Coulson had been there when he visited his brother; thus he was a man to watch … and perhaps to use. He was also a man to be wary of.
"Ah, sorry," he said, smiling and shrugging in a helpless sort of way. "I was just curious about what they were doing in there."
"Why?" Coulson asked in his odd, bland manner. Perhaps others might not realize that he was thinking quickly, running through different possibilities, but Loki recognized that placid look. It was one he employed himself often enough.
"Oh, no particular reason. The man was nice enough to give me directions earlier." He waved a hand toward the people behind the glass. "It all looks rather complicated."
"I suppose it does," the agent said, never taking his eyes off Loki's face.
This was also a tactic familiar to the younger prince of Asgard, offering little in reply so that the malefactor would nervously attempt to fill the silence and unintentionally reveal secrets best kept unsaid. It was not a tactic Loki would fall for. "Are you friends?"
Coulson paused and then answered "co-workers." He obviously intended to say more but Loki cut him off.
"Well then I shouldn't keep you," he said pleasantly. The encounter needed to be ended, and he also needed to hear what the man intended to say to those inside. "Have a nice day."
Turning away, Loki walked down the non-destroyed street. He could feel eyes on his back and did not turn, though he wanted to disappear around the first corner and turn invisible so that he could sneak into that building with Coulson and the other agent. But disappearing into an alley would draw suspicion, suspicion he wanted to avoid, and entering a store would not do at all. So he forced himself to turn down the next corner and out of sight, only then slipping into the darkened shadow of a building and allowing himself to disappear completely.
By the time he returned to the round building Coulson and the other agent were already inside. Invisible or not, Loki knew he could not simply stroll in—agents as alert as these two would certainly notice a door opening and closing on its own. It was too bad he had never learned to teleport, but he did have another option. It was not easy, but knowing what was being said between the SHIELD agent and Thor's annoying woman was worth the effort. Stepping to the side, so he could see the scene but not be in danger of being in anyone's way, Loki murmured a few words and sketched an arcane symbol in the air.
It felt almost like being transported by the Bifrost. His soul jerked from him like a marionette on a string, leaving his body standing rigidly immobile as his consciousness slid through air and glass alike and came to a rest within the large, unnamed agent.
"…highly important that we get your input on the matter," Coulson was saying as the Loki-agent blinked and took a quick, soft breath.
"I'm sorry, I just don't have time," the girl said, her tone distracted as she traced her finger across a star map. "Completing the Einstein-Rosen bridge is taking up every minute of my days; a field-trip is not on my schedule."
Loki willed the guard to look down at the map and was startled to see that she had drawn a loose outline of Yggdrasil across its surface. It was not completely correct, but it was a better guess than anyone from Midgard should have been able to make. Thor had obviously told her something about how the realms were ordered.
"Ms. Foster, please, I realize your work is important to you, but this—"
"No, I'm sorry. That's my answer."
Loki wondered how the placid man would take such refusal, but the older man cleared his throat and spoke up. "I could go in her place. I have to admit I'm curious to see what SHIELD thinks is so important. Are you sure it has nothing to do with recent events?"
"As certain as we can be, Dr. Selvig," the lead agent replied, switching his gaze to the older man. "The item in question has been in SHIELD's possession for some time. No one has been able to solve the mystery, but given the recent gains that you and Ms. Foster have made…."
Selvig nodded. "Well, if I'm an acceptable substitute," he offered with a half-smile. Loki finally placed his accent as a faint descendent of the Norsemen who had worshipped his people as gods.
How appropriate. He had to be careful so that the wry smile he felt did not show up on the guard's face. Controlling someone thus, especially when he intended that the man would never realize Loki had been in his mind at all, was a delicate game.
"I was under orders to ask you next," Coulson said. "It's a drive of several hours; I'll arrange for a car to be here tomorrow at nine in the morning."
"I'll be here."
Deciding that he had heard enough, Loki carefully withdrew his presence from the agent's mind and let his soul snap back into his still-invisible body. Looking down at himself he realized that his clothes had reverted back to the gold armor and green and brown clothing that he had faced his brother in—the way he was supposed to look, even if he had to admit that he wore Midgardian clothes well. He had timed the withdrawal perfectly. Coulson was on his way out, followed by his slightly puzzled-looking guard. Taking the opportunity their exit provided, Loki slipped through the open door and into the building.
If SHIELD had a powerful object hidden away he wanted to see it, and if it looked useful he would take it. Until then he would learn what made the girl who had stolen his brother's heart so special.
. . . . .
Loki was beginning to be heartily sick of all of the activities surrounding Thor's official coming-of-age. Tourneys, parties, feasts, hunts, all centered on his brother who had the indecency to glow under the intense attention. One would think that after all these years he would not so enjoy being the center of the universe, but if Thor was tiring of it he certainly gave no sign. No, he encouraged it and outdid everyone around him by drinking more deeply, laughing more loudly, and fighting more fiercely. No one could keep up with him, not even Loki.
At least it was now coming to a close. He watched as Odin stood up from his seat at the head of the table, and Loki smiled as an expectant hush replaced the din that had preceded it. It would be good for things to go back to normal, for the palace to be quiet and for his time to be his own again. He had neglected his studies for too long.
"This last fortnight has been a testament to the high regard you are held in, my son," the Allfather said, smiling down at his golden child, who grinned back up at him. "It pleases me that you have won the hearts of our people. It pleases me also that you have grown to be strong and swift of arm."
Though not mind, Loki thought with a mental sigh, though he kept his expression pleasantly attentive to his father's words.
"And so before these festivities come to a close, I have arranged one more event. A test, if you will, to prove your qualities of leadership. Do you accept the challenge?"
Thor rose to his feet immediately, confidently nodding. "I accept, father. What would you have me do?"
Odin nodded, a small smile on his lips, and Loki watched and listened closely. Leadership was not the same as battle prowess, whatever his brother might think.
"I have arranged a war game. You will pick a small force to infiltrate Sumarlidr Hall, which is defended by the Varangian guard. An item of power has been hidden somewhere in those old corridors. If you find and retrieve it you will have won the game." Odin raised a hand, forestalling Thor before he could interrupt. "You will all use blunted weapons; I will not have injuries staining the end of the festival. You will be on your honor to admit what would have been a fatal injury and withdraw from the field; if all of you withdraw, or if you, Thor, are the only member of your team left, you will have failed. Do you understand these terms?"
"Of course, father, and I accept," Thor roared happily, and around him the feasting guests raised their chalices in a cheer. Loki did not cheer, but he did lift his own glass to his brother with a nod.
"Then pick your team and prepare," their father said gravely, though good humor twinkled in his eye. Certainly he knew the answer as well as Loki did, as did everyone else in the hall.
"My brother, of course, for his counsel is wise," Thor announced, his hand landing heavily on Loki's shoulder. "And what better companions in arms could I have fighting at my side but the lady Sif and the Warriors Three?"
The rest of the hall cheered again. Loki's lips tightened almost imperceptibly at the assuredly unintentional slight to his own fighting skills and nodded his acceptance.
"You have chosen wisely, son. Go then and prepare yourselves; the Varangian await you."
Outside the hall they found weapons waiting for them, blunted versions of their favored armaments. Loki fingered the throwing knives, judging them for balance and weight. They were not nearly so fine as the ones he possessed; these were clumsy in comparison, and would prove a challenge to use unpracticed. He supposed creating a blunt axe or sword was an easier proposition than the delicate weapon he preferred. But he had his magic, and that was a better weapon than any of those hefted by his companions.
"They know we are coming, so there is no point in trying to surprise them," Thor announced, gesturing for the others to follow him to the stables. Sumarlidr Hall was on the outskirts of Asgard and they would need horses to reach it; Loki assumed his father had chosen the location in the likely event that his brother would create a ring of destruction even with a blunted blade. "So I say we ride in, battle to the main hall, felling all who would oppose us, and take whatever father has left there. How can they stand up against us, after all?"
Volstagg chuckled in appreciation of the plan, while approval practically glowed from Fandral and Sif. Even Hogun seemed to look forward to the bout with appreciation. It was up to him, then.
"Brother," he said, choosing his next words carefully. "They have had plenty of time to prepare for our arrival. Perhaps taking a few precautions would be wise?"
Thor grinned at him. "What, you think they've set traps? Nonsense. This is the Varangian Guard we're talking of, not some stunted Duergars who practice deceit and trickery. They will offer us a fair fight."
"They will offer us a fair fight that guarantees them the victory," Loki pointed out patiently. "They will have already chosen the best positions to fight from, and they will certainly outnumber us. And if I were them, the last place I'd hide this item of power is in the main hall. I would put it in a closet or somewhere else unexpected, and cut us all down as we searched for it."
"Of course you would," Sif scoffed, but Hogun surprised them all by nodding.
"The young prince is right. Better to be cautious." The others looked at him in surprise, but when Hogun said no more Thor looked back to his brother.
"You may be right. I suppose it won't hurt to at least look at their fortifications before we attack."
Loki smiled. "That's all I ask, brother."
For now, he added, though only to himself. He would fight the next battle once they arrived, when it became apparent that charging in would certainly end this test quickly, if not in a manner that Thor would enjoy. As tiresome as these weeks had been, Loki had no desire to see his brother fail, especially not when he could prevent it.
(end part twelve)